I got a message "Unfortunately, when we initiated the transaction your credit card was declined..."

However when checking with my bank, they did get a preauthorization from Burning Man for $1.01 on 12/14 which was accepted, and have gotten no further preauthorization or charge attempts from Burning Man since then.

So something in the ticketing system is messed up. I've written to BMOrg with the above info as requested - we'll see what happens.

The pre-authorization for $1.01 verifies the numbers and sets up the transaction heading into the drawing, the request for authorization would follow a short time later. When the charge in the full amount was attempted, the bank declined the transaction (for whatever reason), there would be no additional invoice hitting your account. Contacting them as per the instructions in the email you received is the best thing to do at this point.

Yes, but many (well, most) don't show those (declined purchases) on web site transaction history pages. But to reiterate again, contacting Participant Services per the instructions in the email is the best thing you can do at this point.

BMOrg has never provided that kind of information about pre-sales/ticket sales before the event. If anything, this year has more transparency than in years past, since they're identifying the number of tickets in the highest pricing tiers.

Well, all of this info is critically important to my Empty Bleachers Theme Camp. If more than 5000 or so people go to Burning Man, then I won't be able to take up everything between G and L from 6:00 to 9:30. Without all that space, the whole ambiance of the place is ruined.

By the way, there are only 50 open slots left for campers. All campers are expected to take three shifts sitting in the empty rows and starting listlessly off into the distance, as well as one shift looking forlorn while weaving up and down the empty roads trying to sell funnel cakes.

Campers will be provided with showers, a foot-long hot dog dinner on Thursday, and several abortive attempts to start the wave. Camp dues are 5 gallons of vegetable oil. Applications forthcoming. Bring lots of chairs.

Denied. 1 ticket. Guess there were not 7000 after all. Karma hates me. Lost my ticket last year and had to pay a scalper a thousand bucks (lost my friends tic too) on the Sunday before opening. I must have kicked puppies in a previous life, Damn karma.

No, there weren't 7000 - there were 3000 tickets. Don't worry though, your registration info will carry forward into the main sale, where you'll have three chances at a total of 40,000 tickets (instead of a single chance at 3,000 tickets). Good luck, and in the likelihood you are awarded tickets in the main sale, make sure you don't lose 'em!

trilobyte wrote:No, there weren't 7000 - there were 3000 tickets. Don't worry though, your registration info will carry forward into the main sale, where you'll have three chances at a total of 40,000 tickets (instead of a single chance at 3,000 tickets). Good luck, and in the likelihood you are awarded tickets in the main sale, make sure you don't lose 'em!

The beauty of Will Call!Not that I have a choice, living in the UK ....

trilobyte wrote:No, there weren't 7000 - there were 3000 tickets. Don't worry though, your registration info will carry forward into the main sale, where you'll have three chances at a total of 40,000 tickets (instead of a single chance at 3,000 tickets). Good luck, and in the likelihood you are awarded tickets in the main sale, make sure you don't lose 'em!

Technically, wouldn't it be 1 chance at 10,000, 1 chance at 15,000 then 1 chance at 15,000.. (providing you don't win on your previous chances.) or just one chance at 40,000?

Either way, a much better chance then 1 at 3000.. however, I can see there being more participants for the main sale... but not enough to make your chance of winning not really really really super good.

For people registering at tier 3 (which includes carryovers from the pre-sale), that comes to 3 (you know, 1+1+1) chances to be awarded tickets (since they'll be a part of the tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 draws). And the total number of tickets is 40,000.

The main sale is structured so that even if there's a stronger than usual increase in ticket demand, there should still be enough tickets to go around. If you've signed up for tier 3, the only way your odds really dip below 100% is if there's a ton of hoarding (or if suddenly in a terrible economy there's a growth spike in January demand that's double the previous best growth year). And even under those circumstances, the odds are still really really good. Where people are potentially "at risk" in the main sale are with the lower tiers, since it's a significantly smaller pool of tickets. But to be fair, that's always been a challenge (lowest tier sold out very quickly on day 1). At least this year there will be 10K tier 1's instead of 8K (last year's number).

Sammael wrote:Denied. 1 ticket. Guess there were not 7000 after all. Karma hates me. Lost my ticket last year and had to pay a scalper a thousand bucks (lost my friends tic too) on the Sunday before opening. I must have kicked puppies in a previous life, Damn karma.

You must have been #3,001.I think you must be kicking puppies in this life as well, or you are very disorganized.

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